Beach craft



M. RONZITTI BEACH CRAFT Jan. 26,1943.

2 sheets-sheet 13 Filed April 7, 1941 n Il ZENVENTOR ATTORNEYS Jan, 26, 1943.

M,- RONZI'TTI BEACH CRAFT Filed- April Y, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT1 ORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1943 BEACH CRAFT Michele Ronziai, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application April 7, 1941, Serial No. 387,319A

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to. improvements in beach ycraft and especially beach type boats.

An object of the invention. is to provide a beach boat which provides amusement as well as beneiicial exercise.

Another object of the invention. is the provision of a boat which may be propelled through the water by an occupant thereof.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a boat which may be disassembled and collapsed into a relatively small compass for convenient transportation and storage.

Still another object of' the invention is the provision of a self-propelled boat which isV uncapsizable.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a boat of the above character which is relatively simple and durable in construction and efficient in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will became apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed todesignate corresponding parts i throughout:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the boat taken on line I-I of yFigure 2,

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the same,

Figure 3 is a similar view showing longitudinal sections of the boat in folded arrangement,

Figure 4 is a rear end View of the assembled boat,

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5,

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on line 'I--l ofy Figure 1,

Figure 8 is a detail section taken on line 8-3 of Figure 7, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary transverse section taken on line 9--9 of Figure 2.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred example of the invention, II] generally designates each of a pair of complementary longitudinal side sections embodying a pair of parallel bars II and I2 formed of wood or the like having their rear ends secured to the opposed end faces of a rectangular shaped block I3 by a fastening bolt I4. The front ends of these bars are connected to a bow block I5 rabbeted at its outer side to receive the end portion of the bar I2 and having the inner bar H tted against the inner face thereof. Between the inner and outer spaced face bars II and I2 is tted a filler I6 of buoyant material, in the present instance a length of cork, of rectangular cross section shaped to fit between the bars. A

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plurality of bolts I1 serve to fasten the iiller and face bars firmly together and to fasten these bars to the front block I5. rihis part of sections I 0 is pivotally connected at the front ends by a hinge joint I3, the straps of which are fastened to the opposed inner face bars I I adjacent their forward extremities by bolts I9.

At the rear portions of the side sections It is mounted, in assembly, a transverse stern section 2i] embodying a pair of superposed elongated layers 2|. of cork or other suitable lbuoyant material having interposed therebetween a board 22 and a similar board 23 -placed against the bottom face. Wood strips 24 and 24a are placed respectively on the side and end margins of the top face of this stern section and bolts 25 are eX- tended vertically therethrough to rmly connect this structure. The boards 22 and 23 are formed to pro-ject beyond the ends of the cork layers so as to slidably engage end portions of the sections IG. Thus, the stern section 20 is slidably and detachably assembled in association with the side sections.

The stern structure is releasably fastened by means of a rod 26 pivotally connected to one of the rear blocks I3 by a pivot bolt 2l and movable into position to engage a keeper 28 onthe complementary stern block, the free end portion of the rod being screw threaded and carrying a. nut 29 for locking the same in engagement with the keeper.

Suspended below the plane of the boat sections IIl and 20 to support an occupant thereon is a seat 3.11 embodying an elongated sheet of canvas or the like foldedv at the edges and having rigid rods 3| litted in the end folds. This seat is supported immediately forward of the section 20 by straps 32 looped over the side sections and tied thereon as shown to advantage at Figures 1 and 2;

In slotted bracket bars 33 fastened in opposed positions to the inner sides of the sections HI, adjacenty the bow end thereof, is a cross member embodying a pair of tubular sections 34 having their inner ends threadedly `connected to a T fitting 35. The outer ends of the support sections 34 areflattened and slidab'ly tted in the slots of the brackets 33. To the center outlet of the T tting 35 is connected the upper end of a depending pipe 3E which. connects with the boss of a horizontally extending bearing sleeve 3l'. In this. sleeve is rotatably mounted a horizontal propeller shaft 38 having secured on its forward end a propeller 39. The front tip portion of the shaft 38 and propeller boss are pren erably covered by a removable cover cap Gil of conical shape. y

A pair of rearwardly disposed slotted bracket bars 4I serve to support a. pair vof aligned transversely directed support members 42 having their inner ends secured to a T fitting 43 shaped to form a vertical bearing having a bushing 44 mounted therein. This bushing rotatably supports a vertical stub shaft 45 having rotatably tted on its upper reduced portion 46 a beveled gear 41.

The shaft 45 is formed integral with or secured in intersecting relation with an inclined shaft section 48 having a rear reduced portion 49 which is fastened in a socket 50 by a transverse pin 5|. This socket is formed at the forward end of a U-shaped handle grip 52. On the shaft portion 49, between the socket B and the shoulder of the portion 48 is rotatably mounted a bevel pinion 53. On a forward reduced extension 54 of the shaft 48 is rotatably fitted a complementary pinion 55 having an extension sleeve 56 rotatably connected with the shaft 54 by a pin and groove connection 5l, to prevent axial displacement of the pinion. The pinion 55 is formed with a forwardly projecting stem 59 upon which is fitted the inner end of a tubular connecting shaft 6B secured thereon by a transverse pin 6|. The diametrically opposed pinions 53 and 55 are disposed to mesh with the bevel gear 41 having fastened in its top face a radially extending crank composed of an arm 62 and a rotary grip 63. The forward end of the tubular shaft 60 is connected with the rear end of the propeller shaft 38 through the medium of a universal joint 64.

On the forward portion of the side sections I0 are tied, by loops 65, a pair of roller carrying stirrups 66 as shown to advantage at Figures 1 and 2.

During use, an occupant assumes a position seated on the canvas seat with his arms above the longitudinal side sections and his feet resting on the stirrups 66, as shown in broken lines in Figure 1. One hand of the occupant is placed to grip the handle member 52 while with the other he grasps the crank handle 53 to rotate this crank and the gear 41 to which it is attached. When the crank is rotated in one direction, in the present instance in a clockwise direction as shown at Figures l and 2, the propeller 39 is revolved so as to propel the boat forwardly through the water. Upon operation of the crank in the opposite direction the propeller rotationis reversed so that the boat is moved sternwards. In the assembly shown the drive mechanism is designed to impart four revolutions to the propeller for each turn of the crank, although this ratio may be varied to suit particular conditions. Figure 1 the boat assumes a position on the water so that the triangularly shaped sections are partly submerged and partly above water while the seat and propeller are submerged substantially below the water level. It will also be noted thatthe transversely disposed stern section 20 provides a back rest for the occupant in addition to its function as a flotation element.

When the craft is to be transported or stored it is collapsed by detaching the threaded end of the rod 26 from the keeper 28 and swinging the rod horizontally sternwardsvto free the rear ends of the side sections l0, allowing slidable disconnection of the stern section. The propeller mechanism is also readily detached by withdrawing the ends of the transversely mounted tubular sections 34 and 42 from their slotted supports, while the seat and stirrups may be removed by untying the fastening loops.

As best illustrated at It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A collapsible manually propelled craft comprising a pair of longitudinal buoyant side sections hingedly connected at their forward ends, the said side sections being adapted to assume a V-shaped formation in assembly, a transverse buoyant section slidably tted on the rear separated ends of the said side sections, a pivoted member for releasably fastening the rear extremities of the said side sections, a seat member suspended from the side sections immediately forward of the transverse section, a pair of foot supporting stirrups suspended from the side sections, a propeller rotatably supported on the side sections and disposed below the plane thereof, and manually operable gear mechanism for driving the said propeller.

2. A collapsible manually propelled craft comprising a pair of elongated side sections, a hinge pivotally connecting the front ends of the said sections, a rigid transverse section disposed between and slidably engaging rear regions of the said side sections, and a rod pivotally connected with the rear end portion of one of the said side sections and releasably engageable with the rear end of the complementary side section for releasably holding the rear ends of the side sections in assembly.

3. In a water craft, a buoyant body defining a center opening, a bearing member attached to and depending from the forward portion of the body, a longitudinally extending shaft journalled in the said bearing member substantially below the plane of the body, a propeller mounted on the forward end of the said shaft, a support member secured to and extending transversely in the rear region of the body, an upwardly `directed stub shaft mounted on the said transverse member, a shaft extending rearwardly from the said stub shaft having a hand grip fastened thereto, a stub shaft projecting forwardly from the upstanding stub shaft, a propeller drive shaft journalled on the forwardly extending stub shaft and connected to the rear end of the propeller shaft, a pair of bevelled gears rotatably mounted on the rearwardly directed shaft and fixed to the propeller drive shaft respectively, a drive gear rotatably mounted on the upper portion of the upstanding stub shaft meshing with the said pinions, and a hand crank attached to the said drive gear for manual operation of the propeller.

4. A craft of the character described comprising a pair of buoyant side sections pivotally connected at their forward ends, a transverse section detachably connected with the rear end portions of the said side sections, means for releasably fastening the said sections in craft forming assembly, a seat member attached to and extending between the side sections forward of the transverse section, a pair of foot supporting elements attached to the said side sections, a propeller rotatably supported on the said side sections, and manually operable gear mechanism for driving the said propeller. 

